Optical devices for redirecting fields of view have been proposed for varying applications thereby enabling a wearer to access a viewing panorama offset from the normal line of sight. With such approaches, the wearer is able to secure desired views without changing body and head positions and/or by superimposing backgrounds for facilitating or ameliorating certain conditions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,910 to Dolezal a removable elongated plastic prism is interfaced with a slotted shield for redirecting the field of vision of the wearer. The shield and associated frame are intended for blocking all images not passing through the prismatic lenses. A tunnel vision is effected and peripheral viewing areas are blocked.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,261 to Kirschen discloses a rearward mirrored viewing system for patients prone to claustrophobia. Therein a mirror mounted on frames provides a rearwardly directed, background view at the end of a magnetic resonance instrument thereby providing an artificial backdrop removing the tunnel like aspects and resulting claustrophobia associated with the examination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,165 to Lewis provides an optical viewing system for bike riders wherein prisms are attached to clip-on glass frames and pivot downward to an operative position engaging the lens when the riders head is lowered thereby providing a redirected view forwardly of the bike.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,223 to Axelbaum discloses an optical device incorporated into eyewear frames wherein a lower mirrored secondary lens supported in front of and inclined with respect to a primary lens is effective for providing a secondary field of view that is superimposed on a primary field of view.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,367 to Webster discloses swimming goggles incorporating a prismed element allowing a wearer through eye redirection to achieve a secondary field of vision. The supporting structure effectively removes peripheral sectors from the field of view.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,720 to Lee et al. discloses a specialty eyewear device including a slotted frame having mirrored surfaces angularly disposed with respect thereto. The wearer may view forwardly through the slots for normal straight ahead viewing. Alternatively, the wearer may view downwardly through the slots to achieve a redirected view as effected by the mirrored surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,703 to Pablo discloses an eyeframe incorporating prisms housed in an elongated frame overlying the wears face and disposed in front of the view's eyes for redirecting normal line of sight for reading or viewing. The apparatus blocks peripheral view and limits viewing to prism transmitted images.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,682 to Wingate discloses laterally slidable prisms mounted in eyewear frames for redirecting normal vision angles. The frames and peripheral shrouds for the prisms surround the prisms thereby effectively limiting frontal viewing to the prismed areas and to the exclusion of surrounding peripheral information.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present to provide optical viewing glasses incorporating prisms for redirecting a field of view without a loss of peripheral vision.
Another object of the invention is to provide prism viewing glasses for independent wearing or for use in conjunction with conventional eyeglasses.
A further objects of the invention is to provide prism viewing glasses wherein the prisms are attached to a visor above the normal visual vertical cutoff for view disposition without supporting framework in the normal field of view.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide optical viewing glasses having a pair of prisms supported outside the normal field of view allowing the wearer to achieve a focal redirected field of view without a sacrifice in peripheral visual information.